In connection with the retail sale of jewelry, a particular problem arises when the jewelry to be sold consists of small elements. For instance, in the case of ear rings, the assemblage and the parts are sometimes quite small. When the ear ring is of the type that is used with pierced ears, the ornament portion is usually provided with a stem which is intended to pass through the ear lobe and a clutch that mounts on the stem at the rear of the lobe. Since the ear rings are normally sold in pairs, there are several problems that arise. First of all, the jewelry must be displayed at the point of sale, so that the display package must be attractive. Secondly, the display package must be simple and rugged to withstand the ordeal of handling by the prospective customers, as well as during shipping, storage, and arrangement by the retailer.
A common method of displaying ear rings at the point-of-sale is by mounting them on a card that is then suspended on a rack; the mounting on the card takes place by using the stem and clutch in the manner shown in the patent of Feibelman U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,469 and the patent of Barbato U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,554 and Robertson U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,389. Another method of mounting the stem-type ear rings is by driving the stem into a soft body of material and enclosing the clutches in a separate cell, as shown in the patent to Garganese U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,705.
When any of these constructions are used in connection with the display of stem-type ear rings, a particular problem arises, particularly in the case of inexpensive jewelry; the assembly of the display packages in the factory involves considerable hand labor to assemble first the stem with the ornament on the display card and then placing the small clutch on the stem. This is not only a tedious operation, but it adds considerable expense to the unit because of the labor cost. Some of the constructions, furthermore, are less than secure and are likely to result in loss during shipment, storage, and handling. It is particularly important that the clutches do not become separated from the ornament and stem. Other constructions are less than attractive for display in the jewelry store.
These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention.
It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the invention to provide a display card for demonstrating jewelry having stems and pins in an attractive manner.
Another object of this invention is the provision of a display card for ear rings for pierced ears, in which the ornament and stem do not become separated from the clutches.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a display card in which the clutches are secured in a manner, such that they cannot be removed without destroying the package.
A still further object of the invention is the provision of a display card which is simple and rugged in construction, which is easy to manufacture from readily-obtainable materials, and which is capable of a long life of service with a minimum of care.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a display card in which assembly with stem-type jewelry involves very little manual labor.
With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.